New Initiative of the Soros Center for Contemporary Arts - Skopje,
Macedonia

Center For Computer Art (CEFCA)

After two very successful annual exhibitions of SCCA - Skopje, Macedonia
(Image Box and especially after the second CD ROM project Icon on
Silver), and regarding the activities in the field of media, SCCA
proceeded with opening a venue for creative understanding of new media
and electronic arts. The experiences gained from the work and contacts
were sufficient to develop a Center where the artists who are interested
can continue their activities that began with the project Icon on
Silver, and especially for those who applied later, showing a
substantial interest in multimedia and computer art.

CefCA is promoting the following activities:

a) Web Site. The documentation for the artists is a priority activity in
this paragraph.

- Internet Database The Macedonian Internet Art Database is
continuously expanded with various data covering the Artists' files,
Comprehensive Documentation and documentation about various art
projects. 678 Macedonian artists are covered in the Internet Database.

The interest is expanded by the idea to place the CD ROM Icon on Silver,
as the first interactive project from Macedonia, on Internet.

- Internet Conferences. One of the projects within this program will be
the organizing of the first video conference in Macedonia.

[…]

b) CefCA projects. The projects that are produced in CefCA are of
special interest for SCCA. Different kinds of artistic treatment of the
electronic media can give an insight in the production of the Macedonian
artistic scene. Because of this, several different approaches to this
technology also include the professionals from non-artistic areas. The
production is granted by means of open competition. In this way, the
SCCA Board is selecting three to five projects realized in the period of
one year, which are completely financially covered by SCCA. This implies
that SCCA offers technical equipment and professional assistance for the
project.

- Computer Art Projects. These projects include the preparation of the
entire software for initiating installations which involve computer and
interactive components. The new projects of the Archimediala group and
the artists Nada Prlja, Stefan Buzarovski, Miroslav Stojanovik - Suki
are in a preparatory phase. The first realized project in 1997 will be
performed on 09.04.1997 for the opening of Synthesis - Festival of 20th
Century Music.

- Internet Projects. The project "Welcome Back to the Empire" of
Melentie Pandilovski which is placed on
http://w.soros.org.mk/scca/empire/ is the pilot project of SCCA which
provides primary experiences in this field. Continuous steps are
directed towards the enriching of the interactive components of the WWW
Site.

- CD ROM Projects. Having the experience of the first CD-ROM in
Macedonia Icon on Silver, the basic idea for these projects is the
intention of continuing with this kind of artistic exploration. The
increased interest for this will provide at least one project a year.

[…]

- Computer Design Projects. These projects are planned to overcome the
actual, or conventional approach towards the computer design, rather
than to continue the present one. The projects should be based on the
possibilities for software support. By experimenting with the different
possibilities of the software, the results will be used for the
publications of SCCA.

- Computer Sound Projects. In order to stimulate the computer-post
production of the sound for the art projects (which are more and more
present in Macedonia) this will be provided to the interested artists.

[…]

c) Video. CefCA produces all the video materials of the SCCA programs,
and makes copies of other visual materials of different artistic
performances and events in Macedonia. Within this activity is the
co-production of artistic videos in co-operation with other students as
well as with other institutions interested.

d) Educational aspects. Through the activities that will be realized
CefCA shall primarily represent a place for information and education
for all interested persons including the introductory information for
the new technologies and possibilities of the artistic work. CefCa will
enable different aspects of the approaches towards these technologies,
especially through direct work with the equipment, serious lectures,
electronic library etc.

Melentie Pandilovski
assistant director

Soros Center for Contemporary Arts - Skopje
Ruzveltova 34
91000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Tel/Fax: 389.91.361.855
e-mail: mpandil@soros.org.mk, scca@soros.org.mk
http://www.soros.org.mk